Because I was asked...

I think the associations between McCain meeting with Jerry Falwell and Obama’s membership of Wright’s church are completely bogus. I mean, to say that McCain’s one time meeting (and not without issue) with a far right Christian leader is anything similar to Obama’s 20 years under the influence, leadership, and mentorship of a man that says, “God Damn America,” “America got what it deserved (on 9-11),” “that AIDS was created by white men to kill black men,” etc…… is somehow comparable is beyond my logic.

However, I think it is totally above board that the Obama / Wright association should be an issue worth at least discussing at length in the public arena (especially in this day and age) if the man is to be President. If Trent Lott, can be forced to resign his Senate seat after saying that he respected an honored member of the Democratic Party who was once a member of the KKK, then this despicable mess should at least be permissible to question – otherwise we are holding people of different races and different Parties to different standards – and that is problematic!

Additionally, if Obama really thinks that the American people are stupid enough to believe his “non-culpability” response to this matter is plausible even though he was a member of this church for 20 years, was married by this pastor, had his kids baptized by this pastor and titled his book after one of this pastor’s sermons, but “never knew of these outlandish beliefs” or never knew that his church honored Louis Farrakhan or that the pastor traveled with LF to Libya, then he thinks we are truly gullible. My point: should the American people let someone (because of cult of personality) side step harsh criticisms like these and slide into office without a true vetting process?

I don’t necessarily think Obama has to believe all of the stuff his pastor has spouted verbatim, but I think when it comes to the Presidency of the United States… these long-time associations might actually matter – I mean we are not talking about a loose “friendship” here. He (as an adult) decided to submit himself to this man’s authority and made him his religious teacher and authority figure, which makes me question his decision making process and makes me second guess the process by which he might choose his Cabinet and possible Supreme Court justice appointees. I think that is all too fair to question and I would expect the same for any Conservative.

As for the question: is it right for news reporters to use Obama’s middle name?
Come on: it is his given and legal name. It’s not like anyone is making stuff up, adding to the story, or twisting something into a falsehood. It just happens to be his name. The very fact that the name “Hussein” plays into some peoples’ fears and bigotry because of recent historical evens is NOT the fault of the pundit.